The medical screening and assessment that a Firefighter goes through are comprehensive due to the safety critical role.
Initially a medical history will be taken via a pre-medical Health Questionnaire (which may involve a telephone conversation if more information is required). ** Any pre-existing health conditions will be assessed on a case-by-case basis with the Occupational Health medical practitioner at the medical stage**
Considerations for suitability for role for any impairment, disability or medical condition, include medical history, recent symptoms, the use and types of medications, impact of heat and shift work on stabilisation of condition, and the risk of sudden incapacity that might affect safety and how well the symptom or impact is being managed.
We will also review recent health changes, investigative referrals or recent surgery, history of fits, dizziness or blackouts, Musculoskeletal Injuries, and history of stress, anxiety and depression.
It is therefore, requested that where there is a historical/current health condition that specialist/GP reports are brought to the medical for the Occupational Health Practitioner to review. (the medical may be delayed if this information is not available).
Medical standards that need to be met at the medical appointment
Vision
1. a) Distance:
- Uncorrected (without glasses or contact lenses) - no worse than 6/18 in stronger eye and 6/24 in weaker eye.
- Corrected with glasses (contact lenses can not be worn) - 6/9 in stronger eye (corrective power no more than +8) and minimum of 6/12 in weaker eye.
1.b) Near: uncorrected/corrected - no worse than N12 in both eyes at 30cm
1.c) Normal depth perception and field vision are required
1.d) Colour vision – individuals must pass both the Ishihara test (by making no more than two colour confusion), and Farnsworth D15 test (must be 100% correct)
1.e) Post refractive surgery – Individuals must wait 12 months after laser eye surgery (LASIK, PRK,LASEK or EpiLASIK) before commencing the role of firefighter. At 6 months after surgery the individual should produce a letter from the Optometrist/eye care centre (on headed or original paper) where the surgery was performed covering the following :
- Any complications in the first 6-8 weeks following surgery
- Confirmation that there is no keratectasia
- Has medication ceased (including eye drops)
- Has the refraction stabilised
- Provide the pre-operative refractive error and if possible post-operative corneal thickness
- Any night vision problems (including halos or starbursts)
- Have completed a low illumination eye test
- Results of eye test
*The additional time allows for risk from focal trauma to be reduced while training.
Hearing
Individuals must achieve H1 or H2 which allows for minimal hearing loss, without hearing aids. The worse ear is used to grade the individual’s result with the summative measures used to assign the overall score for each ear.
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Hearing levels
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Low Frequency Sum
(0.5, 1 and 2 kHz)
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High Frequency Sum
(3, 4 and 6 kHz)
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Speech Sum
(1, 2, 3 kHz)
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H1
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≤ 45 dB HL
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≤ 45 dB HL
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≤ 35 dB HL
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H2
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≤ 60 dB HL
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≤ 80 dB HL
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≤ 60 dB HL (no value > 25 dB HL)
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Lung function
No evidence of restrictive, obstructive or combined airways disease on spirometry testing.
Blood pressure
Within normal acceptable limits with or without prescribed medication.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Routinely acceptable between 18.5 and 30.
Urine test
Looking for blood, protein and glucose to check for possible indicators for diseases such as diabetes.
